Seeing Red
by The Knife In Your Side
Summary: "I shall be telling this with a sigh, somewhere ages and ages hence; two roads diverged in a wood, and I, I took the one less travelled by, and that has made all the difference…" -Robert Frost 'A Road Not Taken'
1. Overview

**This is a play written by me for my VCE Drama class at school focusing on using techniques of Brechtian Theatre. It is not a piece of 'proper' novel-styled writing so don't get annoyed since it's written in 'script format'.**

**Also, this is only an overview, and it can be skipped.**

**WARNING: CONTAINS SPOILERS**

* * *

_Social Messages:_

Family relationships are a mixture of trust and restraint.

You're choices are what define you, be sure to make the right ones.

Just because society says something is good for you, doesn't mean it always is.

* * *

_Characters:_

- Red is being played by Emily and is the innocent girl that is too protected by her mother who makes her want to break free even more. In the end Red becomes the Wolf.

- The Wolf is being played by Naomi. The Wolf is Red's future and narrates the story as she grows older.

- Red's Mother is being played by Caitie and is an overprotective parent who grows harsher and harsher the older Red gets, as she slowly loses her mind and is weighed down by her divorce.

- Chase (a representation of the Woodcutter from the original story) is being played by Ella, he helps Red break free from her mother by being her friend and helps balance out how restricted she is. He genuinely cares for Red and they've been friends since childhood.

- Officer is only in the first scene and is being played by Susan and interrogates the Wolf.

- The Drunkard is in the sixth scene and is being played by Susan and is the one to give Red the bottle of alcohol which serves to be her final little push towards the 'Wolf side'.

* * *

_Props:_

- Red cloak (worn by Red)

- Mask (held by Wolf)

- Books x2 (for 4th scene)

- Empty bottle (for 6th scene)

- Chairs x2 (used in almost every scene)

- Mugshot boards x6 (used in Intro)

- Basic dark clothing for everybody.

* * *

_Narration:_

We use narration in almost every scene, most of the time it's the Wolf narrating her past (her past being Red) except for the first scene where it's Red narrating her future (That being Wolf) while the Wolf is in the jail cell being interrogated. The Wolf that's narrates up until the point where past and future coiled and they became 'one' person. We used this as a tool to show that they were the same person and add a surreal feeling to our play.

* * *

_Time Distortion:_

Time is quite heavily distorted in our play that contains a mixture flask-backs and flash-forwards, the beginning being what comes right after the end. There's also Red's growing older through the Wolf narration. If you really and truly think about it, there is no 'present' as we are constantly being propelled forward through time and that single propelling present moment that technically doesn't exist is just a gate way, since past is constantly being created while the future explored, we decided that the ending should be at the clashing point of past and future, namely the strange gateway of present.

* * *

_Transformation:_

Place

Place changes quite frequently, going from different places and rooms although sometimes our scenes take place in 'neverworld' where it isn't a pace but like acting out the progression of Red's thoughts, an example being the lase scene where Red and the Wolf (who are the same people) meet and become one another.

Object

The main props used were two chairs which became many different things such as; actual chairs (I kid you not), doorways, walls, different places, etc. We were aiming to keep all of our props simple and small, so this worked well for us.

Other props that we used included a bottle, the mugshot boards, Red's cloak and the scripts that we used as books for a small portion of one scene as we didn't want to have many props.

Character

As far as actors go, we have no changes as far as single actors playing two different characters go, but the transformation from Red into the Wolf (past to future) is a key point in _Seeing Red's_ plot line. They are of course the same person at different periods on the same timeline, which eventually meet up.

* * *

_Signposting:_

We used this in the introductory scene as a way to show exactly who the characters where. Our signs were in the form of mugshot boards as each character lined up and introduced themselves with their name and three words that define them.

* * *

_Symbolism:_

Compared to the Original Story

The party is a rendition of the woods in the original tale; a dangerous place where people can be lead astray and/or possibly find themselves and/or possibly their saviour (drawing inspiration from the poem 'The Road Not Taken' by _Robert Frost_).

Red acts as a representation of Little Red Riding Hood from the original story and Wolf acts as a representation of the Big Bad Wolf, but in our rendition the are the same person and represent the internal struggles that we all hold within; dark and light; innocence and tainted purity; order and chaos; right and wrong.

Red's Mother acts as a representation of Little Red Riding Hood's Mother from the original tale, although in our representation she takes on many Big Bad Wolf characteristics and it's important to note she is shown as the main 'antagonist' in our story while Wolf is portrayed as a 'victim' of malevolence. Although since the characteristics of the Big Bad Wolf are split both into Red and her Mother, it symbolises that Red's demon is not just the blatant exterior oppression but internal battle she fights daily within herself.

Chase acts as a representation of the Woodcutter from the original story, and although the character doesn't seem to be a rendition of him, they have the same role; hero. The difference being that Case fails (or in his eyes he does). The question is; did he fail? Yes, Red is a drug-abusing alcoholic on the streets with a criminal record and that in our society would be deemed to be an unsuccessful attempt at the game of life, but she also has in her grasp the one true things she always desired; freedom. So the question asked is; did you free herself or fall further down the rabbit hole? That is the question we wish to leave the audience.

Still, all that aside, the point of view of how different character's view other characters and example being, from the Mother's point of view Chase if the big bad wolf while the Officer would be more of a huntsman figure, but from Wolf's point of view it's the other way around.

General Symbolism in Props, Actions, Lines, etc

The red cloak, which was made by her mother and symbolises her innocents, is a symbol as when she abandons it for the Wolf mask it shows her abandoning her old controlled life. This is the same with her 'I don't know a Red' line which is foreshadowed in the first scene (which is the close-to-ending in the story) for a line that would become a significance in the dramatic moment when she abandons her life. It's the first and last things Red/Wolf says in the play.

The mask is strange in its mild symbolism as the fact that when Red decides that freedom is more important than friends and family, she puts on a mask. A wolf mask. Which leads to the question of how she views freedom, whether it's being able to be what she truly is deep down or having the choice to mould herself into what she wishes and of course there were probably better ways of achieving freedom that what she chose, but Red is just a person and that's what people do. They mess stuff up. Still, the mask shows the audience that she believes the definition to be the later, because when she has the mask, she becomes her desire.

Our use of mugshot boards in the introductory scene was meant to show how every character is both a protagonist and an antagonist. How there are more sides to each character. Like how Red's Mother is a law-abiding Christian and Chase is a warm hearted boy, yet they still are standing there being arrested. It's supposed to plant a seed in the backs of the audience's mind that it wasn't going to be a cheerful story with a happy ending, or a story full of black and white characters.

The part in scene six where the Wolf and Chase are both standing behind Red on either side as she holds the alcohol symbolises the classic angel/devil on shoulder skit. The devil (Wolf) that tells encourages what society deems as 'bad' behaviour and the angel (Chase) encourages 'good' behaviour.


	2. Scene 1

Scene 1 – The Wolf has been arrested and is being thrown in a cell for possession of alcohol and drugs. Red is narrating is the background of how this is what she's going to become.

_*Officer leads Wolf into the room and shoves her into the chair*_

Officer – So you are Red, I'm guessing _*stern tone of voice*_

Wolf – I don't know a Red.

Officer – You are under arrest for the underage possession of alcohol and illicit drugs. Anything you say or do can, and will be, used against you in the court of law. If you do not have a lawyer, one will be appointed to you. Do you understand these allegations?

Wolf – No, not _really?_ Could you _repeat _that? _*sarcasm*_

Officer – This is a very serious matter, Miss!

Wolf – I don't actually care.

Officer _– *scowling*_

_*Red is sitting on the ground to the side of the jail scene, playing with a toy and watching her older self*_

Red (narrating) – You see that girl in the jail cell? The girl who couldn't care less? She's me, or a version of me anyway. She's what I will become. I don't know how I get like that, or why… but somehow I will grow into that. Grow into the Wolf. That is if I keep going the way I am…


	3. Scene 2

Scene 2 – Red's Mother makes her the Red Cloak but it is quite tense and strict although caring.

_*Red is sitting on the ground beside her mother watching her sew the cloak*_

Mother _– *finishing off the sewing*_ Red, darling move in front of me, come on.

Red – _*nods and slowly shuffles around*_

Mother – Come on!

Red – Yes Mother, sorry Mother.

Mother – _*drapes cloak around her shoulder, fitting and still being finicky*_ Keep _still_ Red.

Red – Sorry…

Mother – Sorry _what_?

Red – Sorry, Mother.

_*slight pause where the mother is fiddling with the cloak*_

Mother – Well that fits quite well, should keep you warm and safe.

Red – Yes it should, Mother.

Mother – Now what do you _say_?

Red – Thank you, Mother… _*slowly builds up courage to ask*_ do you think you'd be able to put a wolf on it?

Mother – Pardon? A _what_?

Red – A wolf!

Mother – *looks slightly startled* Red, wolves are dangerous creatures. They hunt and eat little children like you. Why on earth would you want a mongrel _wolf_ on your lovely Red Cloak?

Red – … But I like wolves.

Mother – They're disgustingly primitive animals. Don't mention them again.

Red – Yes Mother, sorry Mother.


	4. Scene 3

Scene 3 – Red is sitting alone at the edge of the playground since it's 'too dangerous' for her to play on, when a boy (Chase) comes and sit down with her. After they talk for a while Red's Mother comes and makes it clear that she disapproves of her daughter's new (and only) friend, especially since he's a boy.

_*Red is sitting alone*_

_*Chase walks over and sits down beside her*_

Chase – Hi, my names Chase _*sounds very confident and cheerful*_

Red – Hello… I'm Red _*she's quiet and withdrawn, not used to other children*_

Chase – Why are you sitting here all alone? Why not come and play tag?

Red – I'm not allowed to… My mother says…

Chase – Oh, well that's too bad, then.

Red – I guess.

Chase – So do you like wolves?

Red –_ *Red brightens up*_ Yes, I _love _wolves!

Chase – They're pretty great, huh?

Mother – Red, what are you doing? What did I tell you about talking to strangers!

Red – Oh, it's okay, Mother. This is my friend Chase _*refers to the boy next to her*_

Chase – Pleasure to meet you, I'm Chase _*extends hand to be shook*_

Mother – _*rejects handshake with a scowl and grabs Red's arm*_ We're going. _Now_.

Red – But… Mother…

Mother – No, we're leaving _*pulls her away*_

Chase – Cya Red…

Red – Bye Chase…

_*The Wolf is standing in the background, watching the scene*_

Wolf (narrating) – You see this here? It was only the beginning… he was my best friend, my _only_ friend, but still she her approval forever lay inches from my struggling reach. She _never _approved. Of anything. Ever. So why did I even care? I cannot fathom the recollection…


	5. Scene 4

Scene 4 – In this scene we see time pass from when Red and Chase are kids to when they're teenagers (around 15) while the Wolf narrates. Red's mother is getting worse the older she gets.

_*Red and Chase playing in a sandbox making sandcastles, messing round and throwing sand at each other*_

Wolf (narrator) – I was so happy being Chase's friend, he was my little bit of freedom from my mother's leash that was held quite firmly in her iron grip. A leach that bit my skin and chocked me if I struggled against it.

_*Red and Chase sitting on the chairs back to back reading*_

Wolf (narrator) – We did everything together, we even _read_ together – often the same book, racing to be the first finished – although as we began teens we discovered video games, which of course was a fact my mother was carefully kept blind on.

_*Red and Chase begin playing video games*_

Chase – What are you doing? You're just standing there!

Red – I'm trying to shoot but it's not working!

Chase – Here, let me see? Wait, you're meant to be pressing the square button not the triangle button.

Red – Ohhhh, right. I think I've got it now… Like this, you mean? _*begins pressing the button*_ Hey, I killed somebody!

Chase – You just killed me!

Red – Sorry, you should've been concentrating…

_*knocking at the door*_

Red – Damn, mum's here, hide it!

_*Chase scrambles to turn off the game and grabs his book right before Red's Mother walks in*_

Mother – Red, come on, we're going home… wait, what are you doing?

Chase – We're reading, Ma'am.

Mother – I didn't ask you, boy. _*turns back to Red*_ So what are you reading? _*snatches the book from her hand*_

Red – It's _The Hunger Games_, Mother.

Mother – This is a violent book! You cannot be reading this! Where did you get it? Did you steal it? _Tell me_!

Red – No, no, Mother, I didn't!

Chase – _I_ lent it to her.

Mother – Well take it back then, boy! _*shoves it into Chase's hand and grabs Red's wrist, dragging her out the door*_

Chase – Oh and don't forget my party, Red!

Mother – What party? What is this?

Chase – _*realises what he's done*_ It's my birthday tonight Ma'am.

Mother – Well red isn't going, goodbye.

_*Chase mouths 'I'm sorry' as Red is pulled away quickly*_


	6. Scene 5

Scene 5 – Red and her Mother have a fight and Red's sent to her room, but then sneaks out and attends the party anyway. The 'tipping point' in the story.

Mother – So, a party? You were going to sneak out to a party?

Red – No, no, I was going to ask you I swear!

Mother – Don't lie to me Red, do you not respect me at all? All I've done for you! I'm repaid with lies!

Red – I didn't lie, I swear–

Mother – More lies!

Red – Just let me expla–

Mother – Go to your room. _Now_. I have an aching headache and I just cannot deal with your insolence at the moment _*Mother leaves the stage*_

_*Red gives up and retreats to her room*_

_*Red is sitting alone when the phone rings*_

Red – _*picks up phone*_ What?

Chase – Hey!

_*Chase is sitting on other side of stage*_

Red – _*perks up when she hears it is Chase*_ Oh how's it going?

Chase – Okay, I guess, I was just wondering if you were coming though? I mean, are you allowed to?

Red – _*laughs bitterly*_ Of course not!

Chase – _*sigh*_ Well my party won't be half as kick-ass then.

Red – Oh, I'm still coming. What my mother doesn't know won't kill her, unfortunately.

Chase – You sure that's a good ide–

_*Red hangs up the phone*_

Wolf (narrating) – Maybe this here was my tipping point. Before this night I would never have dreamed of sneaking out. Yes, here was my tipping point, the one that led to my cross roads and so forth towards my current rebelliously inclined and absolutely frivolous state.


	7. Scene 6

Scene 6 – This is the scene of Chase's party which Red sneaks out to but eventually she gets caught by her mother.

Chase – Are you sure this okay?

Red – _*nods enthusiastically*_Of course it is, it'll all be fine in the end, you'll see.

Chase – Well then have fun Re– _Oh my god_ are those guys drinking _alcohol_?! _*rushes over to assess the situation*_

Drunkard – _*throws arm around Red's shoulder*_ Heeeeeeeeey man, how ya' hanging ta'night? I got this liquid-y stuff, like, it's so _bubbly_…

Red – Are you okay?

Drunkard – _*ignores question*_ I mean I just found it, like, lying around and it feel like space travel in my head… do you want some…

Red – No, no, I'm fine… I don't drink…

Drunkard – _*laughs*_ Yeah, well, I needa piss to yeah hold this _*hands bottle to red and wanders off before she can refuse*_

_*Red stands in the middle of the light, looking at the bottle of alcohol*_

_*Wolf and Chase have moved to either side of her, but slightly behind*_

Wolf – Go on, do it, I know you will anyway… I mean, I'm the proof…

Red – I… I don't know…

Chase – This isn't you, Red, Don't drink it… this isn't you…

Wolf – Yes is it, it's the true Red… the Wolf…

Red – I… love wolves…

Chase – Please just stop… I-I didn't even want alcohol in this party… I'm a good kid, you're a good kid… c'mon Red… please…

Wolf – He chose to be good… you had no choice… no _freedom_…

_*Red raises the bottle to her lips (as the Wolf walks into the background) right before her Mother storms in*_

Mother – WHAT IS THIS MADNESS?! Lies, lies and more _lies_ my ears beseech but I see they are only words that breach your tongue, little wench!

Red – It was Chase! _*in terror Red shoves the bottle into his arms*_

Chase – No, no, I didn't! I swear!_ *everybody ignores him*_

Mother – You are coming home NOW _*grabs Red by the scruff of her shirt*_ and as for YOU _*points at Chase*_ you will never ever influence my daughter again, insolent child!

Chase – But I'm an Honour Student! I'm in CHIOR! _*Red's mother drags her out and Chase chases after them*_


	8. Scene 7

Scene 7 – the last fight between Red and her Mother before she runs away, chosing her path at the cross roads.

_*Red's mother throws her to the ground*_

Mother – I do not see the daughter I raised! Not here in your obviously intoxicated state!

Red – _*pulls herself off the floor*_ I didn't even drink, not a drop!

Mother – MORE LIES! I smell it on your breath, on your clothes!

Red – Let me expla–

Mother – I did everything for you! I slave hours a day at work so you eat and sleep in this house, but I will not accept that _vile_ drink as the norm under this roof! You truly are your fathers daughter, aren't you!

Red – Please just–

Mother – How many times have you done this? Left while I slept in the dead of night? This is my house and you snuck out to _defecate_ upon our family name! Full well knowing you were under the watchful eye of God! The little sinner you have become!

Red – JUST SHUT-UP! _SHUT-UP_! How is it so that you can spill such a bounty of words and hear nothing in return! LISTEN TO ME! This is why dad left, because you never listened! Never could comprehend anything outside your own preaching's!

_*crack; Red's mother slaps her across the cheek*_

_*there's silence for a few seconds*_

_*without a word Red turns towards the door*_

Mother – Red… please… I'm sorry… _*begins to sob*_ please… listen…

Red – I don't know a Red.

_*then she walks away, and never turns back*_


	9. Scene 8

Scene 8 – Takes place a few months later, a meeting between Red's Mother and Chase.

_*everything is quite solemn in the room, both Red's Mother and Chase wear grimaces*_

Mother – When was the last you heard from her?

Chase – A few months ago, I guess, she mailed me something from an address in Sydney. I checked it out with hope… turned out to be some abandoned house.

Mother – What did she send, though, any clues?

Chase – You won't find her, Ms, if she doesn't want to be found. I mean… what if she's happier now?

Mother – Why would you say that! She's out on the _streets_!

Chase – It's just, I think she's happy… she sent me snippet of a poem, one she'd always loved…

Mother – I never knew she liked poetry

Chase – Not to be rude, Ms, but you knew little about who your daughter actually was… even I wonder how well I knew Red sometimes…

Mother – So what did she write?

Chase – _*pulls poem out of his pocket*_ She wrote it on a napkin, quickly by the looks, but it's definitely her handwriting. The poem is 'The Road Not Taken' by _Robert Frost_;

'I shall be telling this with a sigh,

Somewhere ages and ages hence;

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I,

I took the one less travelled by,

And that has made all the difference…'

_*they're quiet for a moment*_

Mother – She seems happy. And sad. How is that?

Chase – *_shrugs* _I guess that's just life. We can only hope she's found something better.


	10. Scene 9

Scene 8 – the conclusion and closing of the play; the point where Red becomes the Wolf.

_*Red and the Wolf walk slowly towards each other from each side of the stage. The Wolf offers her the mask and Red takes it – they walk (with backs to the audience although not the mask's face) both holding the wolf mask singing;_

_Hey there little red riding hood,_

_You sure are looking good,_

_You're everything a big bad wolf could want,_

_Little red riding hood,_

_I don't think little big girls should,_

_Go walking in these spooky old woods alone.*_

Blackout.

_~le fin~_


End file.
